The First Day Bob HiT Helga
by Storyteller E
Summary: Arnold is surprised when he finds Helga at his door...


AUTHOR'S NOTE: I don't own HA!.  
  
This is a Çehov style story, it is supposed to have no actual end. So don't wait for a second part or something.  
I don't expect you to faint with admiration about it, i just hope you don't hate it :)   
Keep an eye open for my other fanfic. I'll post that one too, once i've added the finishing touches that is...  
  
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THE FIRST DAY BOB HIT HELGA  
  
  
Arnold shut down his PC and leaned back. He yawned and stretched his arms. It was late and he figured he better go to bed. The Boarding House was fairly silent, until there were footsteps to be heard in the hall. Arnold didn't think anything of it. Most probably it was Oscar sneaking to Ernie's to play cards. But then the steps came up the stairs that led to his room, and stopped. So it wasn't Grandpa, who would just burst in. Arnold waited for a knock, but that didn't happen either. He approached the door and opened it slowly. There he saw standing, much to his surprise…  
  
"Helga?…"  
  
"Hi Arnold…" she said lifting her eyes from the ground.  
  
Her hair was loose and hanging into her face. Her ribbon was missing.  
  
"May I come in?" she asked. Arnold noticed a shiver in her voice.  
  
"Have you been crying?" He stepped aside so that she could come in.  
  
Helga entered the room and he showed her his bed to sit on. She pulled her legs up and hugged her knees. She started to rock slowly forward and backwards.  
  
"Helga, what's the matter?" Arnold sat down beside her.  
  
A tear came running down her cheek.  
  
"Sorry Arnold… But… I just had no where else to go to…"  
  
"Helga…"  
  
"If you want me to go, I'll go…"  
  
"No, don't go. Just tell me what's wrong."  
  
Helga turned her left cheek towards him and put back her hair. He could see that it was swollen and very red.  
  
"What happened to you?!"  
  
"It hurts so much…" She broke out in tears.   
  
Arnold didn't know what to do with himself. He just hugged her and held her very tight. Helga only cried and with all her strength that she had left held on to his shirt.  
  
This was the first time Arnold saw Helga crying, the first time she showed her wounds, the first time she admitted she was weak. And the first time she asked for help… And he had no idea what had happened, or how to help her. The situation made him feel sick inside, her tears made him want to cry too. He was terrified and scared, because whatever made Helga G. Pataki cry so hard and miserable, must be really serious.  
  
"There, there… It's ok…" He caressed her back and her hair.  
  
As she lay there in his arms still sobbing pitifully, Arnold felt a warm feeling creep over him. When he realised what it was he smiled to himself internally: He was feeling the need to *protect* Helga.  
  
When she had finally calmed down Arnold said:  
  
"Let me get you something for…" His hand awkwardly stroked over Helga's face.  
  
"I'll be back in a minute." He left the room and came back with some sort of ointment, an ice-bag, and some milk and cookies.  
  
"Put this on your face." He gave her the ice. She obeyed.  
  
"Helga, who did this to you?"  
  
She just looked at him. Didn't say anything.  
  
"Some bully or… did you get mugged?"  
  
He saw tears building up in her eyes again…  
  
"Oh no, please… Please don't cry…"  
  
"Arnold, stop acting like you have no brain inside your football head…" sniffed Helga.  
  
"It wasn't…! Was it?!"  
  
Helga just nodded.  
  
"C'mon, I know you don't get along your dad and you but would he…"  
  
"He's-not-my-dad!" she hissed.  
  
"But…"  
  
"He said I should get some manners teached!" She swallowed. "I wouldn't give a damn if he hit me everyday, although I never thought he could go this far…"  
She lifted her head and looked at the night sky.  
  
"His hands can't do me nothing… But do you know what *does* hurt?"  
Arnold shook his head.  
  
"Miriam… Miriam, my mother , the one that should protect me and stand by me, just stood there and was even more frightened than I was. She's the adult, she is the one that should be in control! But no… She couldn't even cope with her own pain, let alone mine… She just stood there and said she needed another smoothie… She didn't even dare to look at me…"  
  
Helga threw away the ice-bag with frustration and anger, it hit the wall and made a dark noise.  
  
Arnold didn't know what to say. To prove himself that he wasn't as helpless as he felt he took the medicine tube and opened it.  
  
"I have to put this on your face…"  
  
"I don't need that!"  
  
"We don't want you running around wearing a halloween mask tomorrow, do we?"  
  
Helga smiled. Arnold put her hair behind her ear and started putting on the salve, gently…  
  
"But why didn't you go to Phoebe?"  
  
"I just didn't…"  
  
"But her parents could have helped you more than I can…"  
  
"I don't need *help*! I need *you*!"  
  
"Me?! I don't under…"  
  
The door opened and a familiar face appeared.  
  
"Eleanor?"  
  
Grandma came in with a pillow and a blanket.  
  
"The General told me you weren't feeling that good, so I thought I'd better pop in and see how you are."  
  
She placed the stuff on the couch and turned it to a bed. She waved to Helga for her to come and lie down.  
  
"Now you have a good nights sleep and in the morning we'll have enough time to chat."  
  
Grandma made sure the girl was tucked in all nice and warm, and then she ran her hand through the young, blond hair.  
  
"It's good to see you again Eleanor." Grandma smiled.  
  
"Thank you, Grandma…" Helga returned the smile.  
  
"I'll be around." said the old lady before leaving. "And I'll be taking those with me! I think I know someone who'll be very happy to have them!" And so, she took the cookies with her.  
  
After the door shut, there was a moments silence. Arnold was the one to break it.  
  
"I'll be there for you… That is, if you want me to…"  
  
"Goodnight, Arnold…" Helga said. "Sweet dreams…"  
  
"Goodnight Helga." he said. And closed the lights. 


End file.
